What if
by BunnyRabbot
Summary: The story begins with scenes and dialogue from Archie Sonic Issue 230. But how will it end? Will Sally surrender to a body of steel, or will she and Sonic get to endure together a hardship possibly even greater?


Prologue:

"...A world robotocizer. To be precise." Doctor Eggman grinned, putting his big, white-gloved hands together. Sally's blue eyes widened. She didn't seem to hear Sonic's snickering.

"Pshhhht! Ha ha ha ha!" The blue blur clung to his knees. "And here I thought," he mocked, waving his finger at Eggman, "we had something to worry about! You remember those aliens that snagged us a while back? When they derobotocized everyone, they made sure it was for keeps!"

"Yes, yes." The Doctor sighed and stared off into space, "Those bothersome Bem. They re-wrote the rules of the game. But I changed them _back._" He leaned down menacingly over the two, silent Mobians below. "Surely you noticed the flash of light? The momentary disorientation? That was just phase one!" Sonic knew he was referring to the after effects of his Genesis Wave.

"Everything _did_ reset... Right?" Sonic mumbled half to himself, looking about with uncertainty. Sally now furrowed her dark red brows. "You're bluffing." she answered Eggman's speech in disbelif.

"I heard that," Eggman said to Sonic, his mustache twitching, "Regardless, do you recall, dear Princess, what happens when you try to robotocize something that's _already_ mechanical?"

Sonic turned to Sally. "What's he talking about?" "When I tricked him into robotcizing my auto automaton double," the Princess began, and then froze. "Oh no..." she gasped in horror.

"That's right!" The madman of science guffawed, raising his arms in triumph, "It explodes! All of G.U.N.'s forces, all of the United Federation, blown back to the stone age!" "And let us not forgot new Mobotropolis! There goes your precious nanite-made city!" He chuckled and gestured to a simulation behind him of their Mobian sanctuary.

"Dad..." Sonic whispered. "Bunnie... And Nicole!" Sally held her hand over her mouth. "Wait!" The Princess stepped forward, in a desperate attempt to sway Eggman's mind, "You'll destroy every chapter of your Dark Egg Legion!" Eggman smiled grotesquely.

"What's your point? I'll have millions of robot slaves to rebuild my robot army. Besides... You can't make an omelet without breaking a few Dark Egg Legionaries!" Sonic leapt into the air. "I never should've shown you a shred of mercy," he screamed, "you sick-!"

Metal Sonic dived and slammed the Hedgehog to the ground. "Ah-ah-ah! Language rodent!" Doctor Eggman waved a disproving finger. "Herk! Okay! I am officially getting tired of Metal Sonics!" The hero wheezed, wrestling with his robot double. "I really don't have time to mess with-" Just as Sonic flung Metal Sonic off, the colossal Silver Sonic lept behind him. "-you."

"Aahaha, having trouble rodent?" The Doc clapped and jeered at the speedy mobian, before turning to do the same for the princess. He started to see her bolting for the exit. "I'll tolerate the hedgehog causing problems," he growled, readying his weapons, "that's just a fact of life. But _you_, aren't allowed to interfere with-"

Sonic smashed through his hovering transport and hurled him across the room. The Doctor slammed into a wall and slid to the ground in a painful daze. Sonic then sped down the corridor after Sal, the ruthless robots still behind him. "Sally!" he yelled, sweeping her up once more in his arms, "What's the plan?! We kinda need one, and now."

Sally's eyes were clouded with pain. "A plan... Yes." She looked down at N.I.C.O.L.E. In her hand. "I... I have one solution." The handheld device shook in her grip. "Cool! What is it?" Sonic asked, throwing a backward glance at their pursuers. Sally didn't directly reply, but after learning Eggman was currently out of action, she guided him to a tangle of cables.

Sally set to work whilst sonic spun himself into the fray. "Did that do it? Are you patched into the network?" Sally inquired to N.I.C.O.L.E, her face lit up by her green glow. N.I.C.O.L.E confirmed it was so, but revealed the defensive software would take hours to break into. "We have minutes." the Princess told her grimly, tapping her keys.

After leading Silver and Metal to the end of the room, away from Sal, Sonic darted over to Sally's shoulder for a moment to see what was in store. He opened his mouth, but was interrupted by the distressed tone of N.I.C.O.L.E.'s voice "-But you will not be immune..."

"Huh? Immune?" Sonic frowned, "To what? Sally, what are you going to do?" Sally didn't look him in the eye. Sonic's heartbeat quickened. "Sally...?" "Sonic," Nicole's voice urgently rang from the device, "she's going to-" "No, Nicole." The Princess spoke firmly, "we _have _to do this. There is no other way." She put her hand on the hedgehog's shoulder, "You need to go."

Sonic was getting spooked. Sal hadn't remembered the previous incidents, but he did. He began to fear that he may just lose her again. He thrust her arm away, ignoring the clunky footsteps of Metal and Silver. "Why? Sally, what are you going to _do? _Tell me!" "She's going to inflict the Robotocization energy upon herself!" N.I.C.O.L.E. cried, "Please Sonic, don't let her do this!"

"Sonic, there are literally no other alternatives, when Eggman recovers he's going to fire the World Robotocizer and enslave all of Mobius!" Sally's gaze was starting to shine with tears. "The only way out," She heaved in sorrow, tightening her fists, "is to draw it upon myself. I won't be able to get away from it in time. I need you to get back, lest it effects you too."

Sonic gaped at her for moment. Then despair dug it's claws into him. "N- no!" He stammered, "You can't-" "_I WON'T LET YOU RUIN THIS FOR ME! THE GRAND FINALE IS AT HAND! ALL MY WORK SHAN'T GO TO NOTHING!_" Ragged and mad with rage, the Doctor came from behind and knocked the wind out of Sonic. Sally cried out as she was painfully grabbed by the hair. Eggman cast her roughly aside and with one mighty stamp smashed N.I.C.O.L.E.'s orginal form to bits. "No!" Sally wept, "No, no _no!_"

Gnashing his teeth like an animal, Eggman summoned his henchman. "Metal Sonic, kindly restrain your infernal organic conterpart!" He kicked the sprawled Hedghog in the side. The Doctor then ferociously hoisted the hysterical Acorn up and dragged her away, as Metal held Sonic in a tight, painful grip and followed.

"You cannot do this! I won't let you, _I won't!_" Sally sobbed, kicking and squirming wildly to free herself. "Except that you've lost you pathetic princess! You mobian misfits are going to sit and watch helplessly as all hell breaks lose, and as all your lifelong friends and family below are either transformed or trashed!" The Doc spat in her face, hauling her back to where the confrontation had begun.


End file.
